Why in the news?

  • India urged that Global Equity and People centric approaches be given priority in Just transition at the COP30 in Brazil.

Just Transition Work Programme

  • What is it?: Just Transition (JT) refers to ensuring a fair, equitable and inclusive shift from fossil-fuel–based economies toward low-carbon pathways.
  • Launch: The Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) was established under the UNFCCC at COP28 (UAE, 2023) to operationalize global cooperation on just, equitable climate transitions.
  • Objectives: To create a global cooperative mechanism to-
    • Support low-carbon development without burdening developing countries.
    • Enable socially inclusive transitions (jobs, livelihoods, energy access).
    • Strengthen skills, finance, technology transfer, and institutional capacity.
  • Key Features:
    • Country-Driven Approach: Not a one-size-fits-all model, but recognises diverse national contexts and development stages.
    • Focus Areas: 
      • Energy transition (coal phase-down, renewables).
      • Reskilling and green jobs.
      • Social protection for vulnerable communities.
      • Support for fossil-fuel-dependent regions and industries.
    • Finance & Technology: Emphasises the need for predictable, adequate climate finance for developing nations and calls for removing barriers to technology transfer.
    • Equity & Inclusivity: Ensures justice for workers, women, indigenous peoples, local communities, and SMEs impacted by economic transitions.
    • Annual High-Level Ministerial Roundtable (HLMR): Provides political guidance and reviews progress.
  • Significance for India:
    • Help to access technology, finance, and capacity building.
    • Ensure social justice in energy transition.
    • Strengthen national schemes like PM-KUSUM, Skill India, Green Hydrogen Mission.

Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR)

  • What is it?: The concept recognizes that all states share responsibility for climate protection (common), but responsibilities vary based on Historical emissions, Current capabilities and Development priorities (differentiated).
  • Origin: Incorporated in UNFCCC (1992), Principle 7 of Rio Declaration and reaffirmed in the Kyoto Protocol and Paris Agreement.
  • Significance:
    • Developed nations account for ~70% of cumulative CO₂ emissions since 1850.
    • Developing nations still prioritise: Poverty eradication, Energy access and Industrialisation.
  • JTWP–CBDR Linkage:
    • JTWP operationalises CBDR by:
      • Recognising asymmetry in transition costs.
      • Requiring developed countries to provide finance, tech and capacity building.
      • Allowing developing countries flexibility in pace and pathways.
      • Ensuring no prescriptive uniform model of decarbonisation.
    • Makes climate transition development-compatible, not development restrictive.

Source: Press Information Bureau